Subject : Is it Permissible to Recite the Chapters of the Glorious Quran in Reverse order

Fatwa Number : 2702

Date : 07-10-2012

Classified : Qur'anic Studies

Fatwa Type : Search Fatawaa

Question :

Is it permissible to intend reciting the whole Quran without complying with the order of its chapters?

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may his blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions. It is recommended that a Muslim recites the chapters of the Glorious Quran in their prescribed order, starting from Al-Fatihah and ending with An-Nas; however, not following that order doesn`t render the person sinful although they have violated what is better. Al-Imam An-Nawawi said, "Muslim scholars have chosen that a Muslim should recite the chapters in their prescribed order: Al-Fatihah, Al-Baqarah, Al-Emran and so on, whether while praying or else. A proof of this is that the chapters were ordered for a wisdom that should be preserved. For example, he should recite As-Sajdah in the first Rakah of Fajir(Dawn) prayer, and Al-In`san in the second, except what the Law-Maker has excluded."{At-Tibian fi Adaab Hamalat Al-Quran, P.(98)}. It was stated in {Asna Al-Matalib(1/63)}, a Shafii book, "It is forbidden for a Muslim to recite the verses of the Glorious Quran in reverse because this removes the miraculous nature of the Quran and the wisdom behind the order of the verses. Although reciting chapters in reverse is disliked because the order is lost, it isn`t so when teaching the Quran since chapters are bound to be recited out of order and it is easier to teach Quran this way. And Allah knows best.

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